Profiles of School Refusal Among Neurodivergent Youth

Abstract

Neurodivergent youth (i.e., autistic, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) are at increased risk for school refusal and subsequent disengagement. Factors associated with school refusal in this population remain unclear. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify profiles of school and demographic variables associated with parent-reported school refusal for 508 neurodivergent and community youth (ages 6–17 years). Five profiles were identified, including three groups characterized by frequent school refusal, high levels of neurodivergent traits, and frequent peer victimization. Differentiation was noted via educational placement, support needs, mental health, and bullying. Implications concern identification and intervention for subgroups of neurodivergent youth.

Declarations

Conflicts of Interest

The authors have no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Ethics Approval

This study was approved by the IRB at the authors’ university. This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Notes

1 Individuals with a diagnosis of autism will be referred to as autistic or neurodivergent throughout the remainder of this paper, as is preferred by many (but not all) autistic people (see Bottema-Beutel et al., 2021). Neurodivergent may also refer to people with a diagnosis of ADHD or other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Binghamton University startup account for Dr. Jennifer Gillis Mattson.

Notes on contributors

Jessica E. Granieri

Jessica Granieri is currently a fourth year clinical psychology doctoral student at Binghamton University. Her research relates to the social experiences of autistic youth across different contexts, including educational settings.

Hannah E. Morton

Hannah Morton is a postdoctoral fellow at Oregon Health and Science University. Her research examines peer interactions among neurodivergent youth to inform their support needs and develop acceptance-based interventions.

Raymond G. Romanczyk

Raymond Romanczyk is a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor at Binghamton University in the doctoral clinical psychology program. His research interests focus upon child disorders.

Jennifer M. Gillis Mattson

Jennifer Gillis Mattson is a Professor of Psychology at Binghamton University. Her research interests focus broadly upon the experiences of autistic individuals across a range of ages.